President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was wounded in an arm by a gunshot fired by the military, an incident believed to be an accident.

Associated Press
October 15, 2012

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — The Mauritanian government said President ­Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was transferred to Paris for treatment and examinations Sunday after being wounded when the military fired on his vehicle outside the capital.

Aziz, 55, spoke on national television Sunday from his hospital bed in Mauritania to reassure the public he was in good health. He said the shooting, which occurred the day before, was an accident that happened when his convoy approached a military barracks by an unpaved road north of Nouakchott.

The president’s adviser said Aziz was going to Paris for further treatment, but offered no details on what that treatment would be.

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The country will be run by the prime minister during Aziz’s absence. He is expected to call for an inquiry into the shooting. Two soldiers have been detained in connection with the incident, according to local news reports.